Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

...I was bound haplessly in the grip of the Apple Store waiting list for much of the afternoon and evening, only to be told that the Apple 2-year MFR Warranty does not apply to my daughter's 23-month old iPad, because we're fucking Apple and fuck you for buying the one that was on sale that's why.

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

Need to fight for decent consumer regulations. Statutory fit for purpose for 6 years on everything here with no exceptions. A colleague of mine got his 6s replaced recently after 4 years due to a dark patch on the screen. The dark patch was actually the battery expanding. They didn’t have any 6s units left with 128Gb storage so they gave him a new 7 begrudgingly 

Yeah, like that's gonna happen any time soon in the Capitalist States of America; the GWN is still resisting, but I fear that all-corporate infection will spread here all too soon.

I suspect the failure is the same 1610Ax charging chip as plagued the 6S/6Plus and oodles of others; I'm really amazed that whole clusterfuck did not result in a massive class-action lawsuit. If not that chip specifically, it is definitely the same failure only in a more recent generation of chip; the failure mode was exactly the same as oodles of iPwn 6x failures: the unit stopped charging altogether immediately after a iOS update. 

It would not surprise me if these units were deliberately made up to blow out for the Christmas 2018 season so they could use up logic boards with this chip or some derivative instead of shredding them like they should have done. I knew at the time that the price was ridiculously low ($349 retail for 128GB model), and it did seem weird that there was actually adequate stock of both the 32GB and 128GB models (there was no 64GB model offered anywhere ) for all the department store chains right at Christmas time.

But that's just the cynic in me talking.

I guess we'll see how adept I am at float-soldering... or maybe I'll use this as a excuse to get a cheap hot-air station. 

mnem
 

[mansaxel]

I imagine @mansaxel will be quite interested in that...

I am, but more as a spectator. Brüel & Kjær is always impressive, always a standard, and always overpriced, unless you stumble over someone who just needs to get rid of it. My TEA is better fed with an old Audio Precision device, and I'm looking for one, somewhat hesitantly.

Vectra sold, and collected, back down to one car. For now...[/color][/size][/b]

Congratulations. You do know, no doubt, that Ford Europe makes cars simply so that Opel/Vauxhall doesn't have to be the worst one in existence?

[bd139]

...I was bound haplessly in the grip of the Apple Store waiting list for much of the afternoon and evening, only to be told that the Apple 2-year MFR Warranty does not apply to my daughter's 23-month old iPad, because we're fucking Apple and fuck you for buying the one that was on sale that's why.

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

Need to fight for decent consumer regulations. Statutory fit for purpose for 6 years on everything here with no exceptions. A colleague of mine got his 6s replaced recently after 4 years due to a dark patch on the screen. The dark patch was actually the battery expanding. They didn’t have any 6s units left with 128Gb storage so they gave him a new 7 begrudgingly 

Yeah, like that's gonna happen any time soon in the Capitalist States of America; the GWN is still resisting, but I fear that all-corporate infection will spread here all too soon.

I suspect the failure is the same 1610Ax charging chip as plagued the 6S/6Plus and oodles of others; I'm really amazed that whole clusterfuck did not result in a massive class-action lawsuit. If not that chip specifically, it is definitely the same failure only in a more recent generation of chip; the failure mode was exactly the same as oodles of iPwn 6x failures: the unit stopped charging altogether immediately after a iOS update. 

It would not surprise me if these units were deliberately made up to blow out for the Christmas 2018 season so they could use up logic boards with this chip or some derivative instead of shredding them like they should have done. I knew at the time that the price was ridiculously low ($349 retail for 128GB model), and it did seem weird that there was actually adequate stock of both the 32GB and 128GB models (there was no 64GB model offered anywhere ) for all the department store chains right at Christmas time.

But that's just the cynic in me talking.

I guess we'll see how adept I am at float-soldering... or maybe I'll use this as a excuse to get a cheap hot-air station. 

mnem
 

Probably is the cynic in you talking. Still got two 6s handsets going strong here although one is being replaced with a 2020 SE in March. Had both from new. One got replaced on the spot after 18 months due to a light area on the screen but otherwise flawless. Even look new still.

Decided to replace my 2 year old XR now. Not because it went down the toilet but it’s end of AppleCare in a couple of weeks. Get the feeling the prices will go up at brexit time so might as well get in now.

[mnementh]

Good to see you back Bean and did you spot you now have a sticky thread ?    Bit more been added to it in your absence.

I suspect I need to do some serious work to the index posts then  Tomorrow job along with removing dust and cobwebs over a few coffees/beers.

Yup... for those playing along at home, bean was the instigator here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/replacement-knobs-feet-and-fittings-for-test-equipment/   

Shouldn't be too painful; only 2.5 pages since you posted in there last.

mnem
*hitting the intardnet for some research before I crack open that iPud*

[URI]

Been missing some enabling ... so much so, I dished out some notes on a 6643A ex Dave's lab.  Unfortunately, is has the Agilent name on it ... but it was there - and I was there - and Dave accepted my offer.......

You mean, it should look like this:   


Nice power supplies, good haul!   

[URI]

Good news and bad news so close together..   

Saskia, hope and wish your hubby all the best to recover soon!

Hi Bean, nice to read you again. Long time no read..   

[smaultre]

Fantastic Tek P7313SMA

[mnementh]

I suspect the failure is the same 1610Ax charging chip as plagued the 6S/6Plus and oodles of others; I'm really amazed that whole clusterfuck did not result in a massive class-action lawsuit. If not that chip specifically, it is definitely the same failure only in a more recent generation of chip; the failure mode was exactly the same as oodles of iPwn 6x failures: the unit stopped charging altogether immediately after a iOS update. 

It would not surprise me if these units were deliberately made up to blow out for the Christmas 2018 season so they could use up logic boards with this chip or some derivative instead of shredding them like they should have done. I knew at the time that the price was ridiculously low ($349 retail for 128GB model), and it did seem weird that there was actually adequate stock of both the 32GB and 128GB models (there was no 64GB model offered anywhere ) for all the department store chains right at Christmas time.

But that's just the cynic in me talking.

mnem
 

Probably is the cynic in you talking. Still got two 6s handsets going strong here although one is being replaced with a 2020 SE in March. Had both from new. One got replaced on the spot after 18 months due to a light area on the screen but otherwise flawless. Even look new still.

Oh, the 1610A1/1610A2/1610A3 charging chip failure is for real; do a quick Gurrgle for any of those part numbers and you'll get shedloads of hits, and still pages and pages of vendors selling the replacement chip. Evidently, Apple was able to sufficiently sell the idea that the fault really was all those non-Apple chargers and cables that just didn't regulate properly, not their charge-regulator chip that suddenly stopped charging. Usually, immediately after a software update.

The "cynic" part would still apply to the question of whether this particular iPud has the same (or a derivative) charge-regulator chip in it, however.

I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes another such clusterfuck in the future; this iPad has been in high-duty-cycle daily use since it was bought, so would be a "canary in the coal mine" early indicator of such impending failure in other units of the same model. Now whether this constitutes "reasonable use" or not... we'll leave that question on the table.     I can only offer in my defense that it has only ever been charged using genuine Apple or Apple-certified MFI chargers & cables.

mnem
 

[AVGresponding]

You do know, no doubt, that Ford Europe makes cars simply so that Opel/Vauxhall doesn't have to be the worst one in existence?

I suspect it depends a great deal on the criteria you use. I've owned worse cars.

[25 CPS]

Try oscilloscopes!! I have 5 of them in the lab right now. 

+1 , and if you considered yourself a TEA loyal worshiper  , at least 2 scopes. 

... duck'n run and cover ... 

Don't worry, I'm well above two scopes.

[Cerebus]

So only 500 odd pages behind  Not Dead nor is anyone around me, my ratbag Brothers Kidney Transplant is settled down and a state of semi normality seems to be returning.

On a TEA note seems I brought a 19" Slimline Anchor tonight with age typical ACal memory issues also has a 202 error for good measure. Add to that calibration $ needed and an absolute 'bargain'  (Attachment Link)

TIMMEH!!!

TIMMEH???

[Specmaster]

Well, multimeters certainly have a habit of multiplying.  I picked up another one earlier today.

Multimeters?

Try oscilloscopes!! I have 5 of them in the lab right now. 

Leaners !   
Looking at 2 boxes totalling 8 and another 20 something are coming. 
1 less by tomorrow now it seems. 

-
Yeah, but you didn't state that those were new ones awaiting customers did you, cheeky 

[Specmaster]

Try oscilloscopes!! I have 5 of them in the lab right now. 

+1 , and if you considered yourself a TEA loyal worshiper  , at least 2 scopes. 

... duck'n run and cover ... 

Don't worry, I'm well above two scopes.

Yeah, ditto here.

[Specmaster]

Dropped my phone down the toilet bits morning. Kill me 

There's a shit start to the day.

LMAO 

[mnementh]

*hitting the intardnet for some research before I crack open that iPud*

Oh, fuck me.     What a difference a little research makes.

Turns out the TriStar chip is part of the Lightning port ribbon cable, and is available separately for a semi-reasonable price. Only catch is that it is a solder-on connection at the MB end. I've done this repair on the fingerprint sensor on my own iPad Air; it was a m****f****er because tiny-tiny pads, and that was aboot 1/4 as many of 'em.
As you can see, this TriStar chip failure is so common the repair aftermarket has made a tester just for this repair; only $400-ish.

Trying to decide whether to chance it myself and risk such a clusterfuck or just send this guy the logic board.

mnem

[mnementh]

So only 500 odd pages behind  Not Dead nor is anyone around me, my ratbag Brothers Kidney Transplant is settled down and a state of semi normality seems to be returning.

On a TEA note seems I brought a 19" Slimline Anchor tonight with age typical ACal memory issues also has a 202 error for good measure. Add to that calibration $ needed and an absolute 'bargain'  (Attachment Link)

TIMMEH!!!

TIMMEH???   

Sorry... showing my age. 

South Park Timmeh... it was a thing back in the day; a comical mode of greeting other forumites that would probably be considered grossly non-PC in today's climate. Not that I give half a fuck aboot being PC in general. 

mnem
No relation to Timmeh's Coffee Brothelry up here in the GWN.

[bd139]

I remember that Timmeh. There was a guy in the office called Tim at the time so you can imagine how that ended up 

[25 CPS]

A lot of what we discuss here surrounds labs/workshops at home or other permanent locations.  I've slowly been assembling a set of portable test equipment since I have a number of use cases for on the road tools and test equipment.  Anybody else maintain a set of portable gear specifically for mobile use on the road?

[bd139]

Just a hammer and some carpet to roll things in

[med6753]

A lot of what we discuss here surrounds labs/workshops at home or other permanent locations.  I've slowly been assembling a set of portable test equipment since I have a number of use cases for on the road tools and test equipment.  Anybody else maintain a set of portable gear specifically for mobile use on the road?

If anyone wants something fixed they bring it here. I don't make house calls. 

[tautech]

Dropped my phone down the toilet bits morning. Kill me 

Here in rural NZ one of the common losses of mobile phones is from a shirt pocket into a stock water trough when bending over it to make good some repair to the water supply ballcock.
A mate drowned his week old phone some years back before they could withstand a momentary dunking and been very conscious about this everytime I do any wet work however had some close calls around streams and ponds.
Shirts with breast pockets and buttons/zips are mandatory here ! 

[med6753]

Even though the Lady Cop is here I'll be on Discord. She's all caught up on East Enders and is back on Midsommer Murders. 

I'm beginning to wonder if she's American or secretly a Brit. 

[Robert763]

A lot of what we discuss here surrounds labs/workshops at home or other permanent locations.  I've slowly been assembling a set of portable test equipment since I have a number of use cases for on the road tools and test equipment.  Anybody else maintain a set of portable gear specifically for mobile use on the road?

Yes I do. A number of kits in cases.
One for Car and general use with a 2 Ch picoscope, Panasonic Tough book, couple of ODBII interfaces Fluke 16, digital thermometer, probe and leads.
One for RF / EMC with Wavetek handheld spectrum analyser, leads, small antennas and near field probes.
Some kit comes ready for the road:
Fluke scopemeter
Anritsu Sitemaster
HP 8920 Radio test set.
Rados 1300 radiation detector
An there is a Fluke 25 permanently in the car incase I need a wheel chock or even have an electrical issue.
Personally I always carry a Leatherman (blade lock disabled so I don't have to justify carrying if stopped) and LED torch.

[bd139]

Even though the Lady Cop is here I'll be on Discord. She's all caught up on East Enders and is back on Midsommer Murders. 

I'm beginning to wonder if she's American or secretly a Brit. 

If she’s watching those we don’t want her 

[med6753]

Even though the Lady Cop is here I'll be on Discord. She's all caught up on East Enders and is back on Midsommer Murders. 

I'm beginning to wonder if she's American or secretly a Brit. 

If she’s watching those we don’t want her 

LMAO.

I guess if she's watching those shows it tells you something about the "quality" of American TV shows.